Dogwood Leaf Beetle

[pauraque]

Getting into my car after a walk, I found this elegantly decorated beetle on my shirt. It has the very appropriate scientific name of Calligrapha philadelphica, also known as the Dogwood Leaf Beetle.

When it opened its wings to fly, I was surprised to see its inner wings were red. I guess that could be the wax seal on the parchment. :)

Comments

[cmcmck]

What a gorgeous little creature!

[yarnandglue]

How interesting! I've never seen one of those before.

[xerimorph]

Oh gosh, what a charmer! I love the wax seal comparison :)

[melannen]

Ooh, I love the color palette!

[magid]

What a gorgeous insect!

[yourlibrarian]

Fascinating markings + wings! It looks like a nut.

[miscellaneous_section]

It's wing cover look like it has wood burning carved designs on it; such a fancy little guy. 💖

[katherine]

What a beautiful beetle!

[pameladean]

That is one fancy little creature. P.

[gingicat]

Neat!

[shirebound]

Oh my goodness! Thank you for sharing this calligraphic beauty.

That's wild!

[jesse_the_k]

Your eyes are trained to see movement.

[full_metal_ox]

And I’m reminded of a particular Japanese aesthetic born of sumptuary laws, in which you’d let the merest furtive sliver of a forbidden red underrobe peek out at the wrists and hems of your otherwise subdued neutral garb.

(I find myself remembering the word as “yukashi”, but a Web search isn’t bearing me out, and the foremost result is a restaurant name.)

[adafrog]

Oh wow.

[octahedrite]

Cool beetle 👀

[dhampyresa]

So pretty!